WORLD BUSINESS BRIEFING: EUROPE; FRANCE TELCOM READY TO SHOP

Europe's second-biggest telephone company, France Telecom S.A., said it was interested in buying Orange P.L.C. to strengthen its international business and better compete with Vodafone AirTouch. Orange ''would be perfectly complementary,'' Jean-Louis Vinciguerra, executive vice president for finance, told analysts at a meeting to discuss 1999 sales performance. The company will be aggressive in pursuing Britain's third-biggest wireless operator, he said.